Alois and Claude
by JackOwens1860
Summary: My first foray into this type of fan-fiction. First two chapters are character studies, an evening of trying to bed down a sour Alois by an unflappable Claude and Claude dealing with an invited guest in his rooms. Third chapter begins the Trancy Murder Arc. Alois finds a corpse on the estate and he and Claude decide to investigate after Lord Randall proves a little inept.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: This is my first attempt at a foray into an alternate fan-fiction realm. If it has any impact or praise, I may publish further entries in the future. Enjoy.**

**Alois and Claude **

Alois Trancy was being prepared for bed. He had been in a foul mood all day and was not yet ready to quiet his temper for the evening. He had struck Hannah of course, had ridiculed Claude repeatedly and thrown too many fits and temper tantrums to count with any real accuracy. He was still not contented with his work. He wanted to inflict further pain and suffering. He levelled his gaze from the curtains onto Claude who was wholly engrossed in the act of unbuttoning his shirt. He was tired of Hannah's cries – they bored him after a certain point – but was never disinterested in his butler's restraint even when pressed to the limit. As Claude raised his arms to divest him of his shirt, Alois slapped him across the face. The demon did not even register the contact and freed him of one sleeve. The boy struck him again, this time with a closed fist. The impact slightly jostled the butler's spectacles, leaving them somewhat askew.

Claude readjusted them and eased the boy's remaining arm from the shirt sleeve. Alois snatched the spectacles clean off his nose. The demon's eyes did not even flicker. They regarded him in silence for several moments. When he did nothing with the spectacles except hold them, Claude proceeded to stand up, fold the boy's shirt and reach for the nightshirt. Alois snapped the spectacles in half. He then threw them at the butler's chest where they bounced off onto the carpet. Claude's face remained expressionless as the boy pointed to the remnants now littering the floor.

"Crush them underfoot. I want you to grind them into powder." Alois said with a slight snarl. Claude bowed.

"Yes, Your Highness." The boy watched with a queer sort of delight as the demon stepped on both pieces simultaneously and then stepped off them with such fluidity of movement that it seemed like some kind of eccentric dance step. All that remained of the spectacles were two small mounds of fine powder. Alois could not help but clap his hands and emit a short cry of joy at such an impressive feat. Claude was upon him with the nightshirt in hand a moment later. The boy did not want the game to end. He pressed his foot flat against the butler's chest to halt his advance.

"No. Not yet. Take off your shoe."

Claude placed the nightshirt to one side before sinking to one knee in order to unlace his immaculately polished left shoe. He removed it before presenting it to the boy still in his knelt position. Alois gestured to the space directly below his feet.

"Put it down there. I need a piss." Claude's eyes did flicker at this instruction, but nothing more. It didn't matter much: one semblance of emotion from a creature as vacant as Claude was enough reason to carry on. Once it was placed, Alois slid off the side of the bed and did exactly what he was certain his butler feared he would do. He urinated into the shoe, staring into the demon's eyes the whole time and smiling to make sure he understood how much fun he was having. When he finished, the shoe had been flooded and the carpet saturated too. None had touched Claude though. Alois was slightly soured by this but maintained his smile.

"What do you think I'm going to ask you to do now, Claude? Can you guess?" He inquired coquettishly. The butler's face was still blank.

"I would imagine something unpleasant, Highness."

"I want you to drink it." Alois instructed him whilst pointing to it, "It stinks and is making a horrible mess. I want it gone, all of it. Do you understand?" Claude's eyes flickered with a whisper of what might have been annoyance, but nothing more. He inclined his head.

"Yes, Your Highness." Alois stood with baited breath and a certain amount of excitement as the demon delicately lifted the soiled shoe from the carpet and held it close to his mouth. The boy's eyes widened in expectation as Claude began to simultaneously tilt the shoe and part his lips. He was actually going to do it. It was a great rush to hold such power. Alois drew closer. A few testing drops fell from the shoe's heel, landing in the centre of the butler's open mouth. Claude did not react at all. The liquid was now precariously close to the edge. Alois waited. The demon appeared to hesitate.

"Do you not wish me to bid you goodnight, Your Highness?" Claude asked. The boy frowned.

"Do you want me to order you, Claude? I asked you nicely to drink my piss. I didn't have to. I don't want to order you to but I will."

"Very well, but I shan't be kissing you goodnight, as you enjoy, this evening."

"Enough!" Alois snapped, tiring of his butler's passive defiance. He tipped the shoe over the demon's head, soiling his entire suit in the process. He then stamped the shoe's heel into Claude's face, trying in vain to break his nose or bruise his perfect skin. The butler's face remained pristine despite repeated blows. "You're absolute shit tonight, Claude! I ask you to do very simple things and you disobey me! I order you to clean up this mess and dress me for bed before I really lose my temper with you! Are we clear? I order you." Claude's response to this outburst could have been described only by the word inhuman. He wiped away the drops that threatened to fall into his eyes, gave his master a brief flash of anger and then inclined his head.

"Certainly, Highness. I shan't be but a moment."

There was a blur of motion, the most fleeting scent of soap and water, and suddenly Claude was once again stood before him in immaculate attire. The fresh stain was gone as was any evidence of the spectacles. Alois did not move. He stood naked and vulnerable in front of the bed simply in awe of the creature he had so callously humiliated only moments earlier. He was so wonderful, this demon of his. He was so forgiving it made the boy feel terribly about his actions. Claude picked up the discarded nightshirt and advanced towards the boy. "You look cold, Your Highness. Perhaps it is time you retired for the evening." The butler suggested without a single trace of care or compassion. Alois regarded him in mute appreciation for the longest time before uttering a word.

"Whatever. Just hurry up and dress me, you idiot demon."

Claude gently took hold of his shoulders and guided him back to his seat on the edge of the bed. He sat him down and then proceeded to dress him in the nightshirt, buttoning it with the same concentration he had displayed in unbuttoning the other shirt. He adjusted the lace on the collar and straightened the bow beneath it.

"Do you think I'm pretty, Claude?" Alois said as the butler motioned for him to stand up. The boy complied. Claude threw back the bedcovers and indicated for him to lie down on the mattress. "Please answer me, Claude. Do you think I'm pretty?" Alois asked again with a little more urgency in his voice. The demon regarded him in abject quiet. Then his hand left the covers and came to rest on the boy's cheek. Alois felt something ease inside him with that gesture. When Claude's thumb began to stroke his cheek in small, concentric circles, the boy actually saw some genuine emotion fill the demon's otherwise empty gaze.

"Yes, of course. I cannot wait to feast on your pretty soul. It will be one hell of a meal." Alois had heard these kind of words before, but never with that sort of gaze. It was not happiness or longing, but something deeper, something more…intimate. The boy had the strangest idea that Claude was looking at him lovingly, a notion that satisfied him to such a degree that his own contentment startled him. He placed his hand on top of the demon's and stroked it in reply.

"Do you love me, Claude? Would you do anything to make me happy?" He said whilst bringing his other hand up to fix the butler's hand to his face and prevent its escape. Claude's eyes were still shining with sentiments Alois could not quite place. He wanted it to be love, but since he had never seen love for him in anyone but his brother's eyes, it was too difficult to tell.

"Of course I do. And of course I would. You are my master and that is the most important thing to me." Claude told him in a voice that was flat and cold in its delivery of words intended to be warm. Alois did not care how the words were delivered though: it was enough that they were said. It was enough. The boy closed his eyes and squeezed the butler's comforting hand with all the strength he could muster.

"I'm sorry I hurt you tonight, Claude. I really am. I just get upset so easily when I think about the past."

"No apologies are necessary, Highness. You are tired and it is understandable. Please do not worry yourself with my feelings." Claude said whilst softly manoeuvring the boy with his pinned hand onto the mattress. Alois kept his eyes closed and his hold of the demon's hand firm even as the bedcovers were replaced and he settled himself for sleep. "May I please have my hand back, Highness? It is somewhat difficult to take my leave when we are still attached in this manner." Claude's voice asked of him. Alois smiled.

"I know you think I'm just a silly little boy and a spoiled brat, Claude. But can you please stay here until I fall asleep? I always feel better if you stay with me like this."

"As you wish, Your Highness." Alois expected his butler would simply stand beside the bed until his grasp failed him. It was what he always did in these moments of weakness. But instead, the boy felt a great weight settle right beside him and a hand comb its way through his hair. He opened his eyes as much in shock as he did in curiosity. It was Claude who was sitting next to him and tenderly stroking his hair. "You are not as bad a person as you believe. I have known many more people in my lifetime less deserving of life and in far better circumstances than we are now. You have been without doubt, the best master I have entered into a contract with."

"Am I really, Claude? Am I the best master for you?"

"You are the only master for me, Highness, now and forever."

Alois closed his eyes and sighed in the deepest satisfaction he believed he had ever known. The hair stroking continued and eventually, the darkness took him away to rest. It was not love but it was enough, for now.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Here is another instalment. Set prior to the private ball for invited guests, Ciel and Sebastian. Claude is awakened by Alois being wildly unpredictable. Enjoy.**

**Alois and Claude Continued**

Claude normally rose before any other in the Trancy household, as was his duty. However on this particular morning, he did not wake first. He awoke to the hot breath of someone whispering softly in his ear.

"Claude. Claude. Wake up Claude."

The demon butler did not want to open his eyes upon recognising his caller to be Alois in an odd mood. When he felt a weight settle atop of his torso though, he was left with little alternative. Upon opening his eyes, he was met with the sight of a naked master sprawled along the length of his body, head resting on his arms and a predatory smile etched on his face. "Good morning, Claude. Can you guess what I'm going to say to you now?"

"I'm sure I don't know, Highness."

"I was going to ask you if you want to play with me before you start work." Alois said whilst reaching forward and tracing a line down Claude's left cheek. "That old pervert Trancy used to fondle my arse for almost an hour before defiling me. I think his hands were the same size as yours. It was the only part of it all I liked. So, would you like to play with me for a while?" The demon loathed and detested this human almost more than any other he had known. The boy simply had no breeding whatsoever and was foul all the way through. Only his rare soul had any merit and even that was only as a meal. If it were not for his pact with Sebastian, Claude would have killed him already. He answered with usual politeness.

"No thank you, Highness."

"And if I ordered you?"

"I would comply naturally. You are my master until the end."

"Well, too bad, Claude because I'm never letting you near it!" Alois said with a giggle, "You're not even good enough to kiss it!" The youth added rearing up so that he straddled his butler through the bedsheets. Claude supposed it was good Alois was not an ugly child or the entire situation would definitely be beyond his resolve. He was pleasing to look at, the demon decided, so long as he did not open his mouth. Claude nodded.

"Of course not, Highness."

"Oh, I'm only teasing Claude! You're welcome to kiss it anytime you wish, I promise." Alois said before his smile faded away and he averted his eyes to another part of the room, "But just you, Claude. Nobody else is allowed to even touch me. Just you." Claude enjoyed the boy's brief moments of melancholy and unease: it at least explained why on earth he had agreed to a contract in the first place, given how manic and extrovert Alois could be on a daily basis. He also liked the boy's malicious and cruel whims. It showcased the hateful qualities that were key in flavouring the soul as well, one he now hoped never to taste. Claude nodded again.

"Of course, Highness. Would you like me to dress you this morning?"

"No, not yet. You don't even have to get up for another half-hour. I just want to lie with you for a while, just while it's still quiet." Alois said whilst settling into a half-embrace atop of his torso. Claude felt the boy shiver as he laid still. He did not want to attend to a sick child of this horrid creature's ilk and so accepted the path of least discomfort.

"Highness, might I suggest you come underneath the bedcovers? You seem cold." The demon suggested. He was met with bright and grateful eyes from his master. There was even an appreciative smile of slightly crooked white teeth. Ciel's were straight.

"That would be wonderful, Claude."

Claude bore the indignity of having a nude workhouse youth wriggle his way into his bed and then once again lie atop of him like some kind of pathetic dog desperate for attentions. The demon begrudgingly embraced Alois against him, prompting the boy to squeeze him back. Claude supposed his fragrance was not unpleasant since he had taken to regular baths. He smelled faintly of lilacs from the scented soaps used and did possess distractingly soft hair. "Are you comfortable, Highness?"

"No more Highnesses, Claude: call me Alois while we're here like this." The boy murmured, turning his head to rest just under the demon's chin. Claude loathed informality in such an arrangement. It displayed an incredible lack of etiquette and tarnished the very foundation of servitude as an institution. It bred familiarity and was above all contemptible. He could not wait for Sebastian to dispose of this one. He already knew Ciel would be so much sweeter by comparison. He nodded.

"As you wish, Alois."

"You're a sport, Claude, truly you are. The only grown-ups I've ever shared a bed with have hurt me. But not you. It means a great deal to a brat like me." Claude was tired of hearing this repeated story of plight. Alois had a penchant to tell the same story three times a day, as if it justified all his loutish behaviour and abrasive personality. It was tedious to listen to, but he tolerated it for the soul promised to him by Sebastian. Barely. He nodded.

"I appreciate your kind words, Alois."

"Well, you shouldn't, Claude. You deserve better than me. I'm too coarse and cheap for you to serve as you do." The boy told him with more than a little self-depreciation. Claude found his interest in Alois rejuvenated for the first time in months. He had never heard this particular thread of thought. It was different than the usual drivel in any case. The demon gave a brief stroke of the boy's hair to coax him into further conversation.

"Why do you think that, Alois? Am I not a good butler to you?"

"You're perfect, Claude. You should serve perfect people, not orphans like me. Old Trancy even called me a tart sometimes."

"When would he say that?"

"When he hit me. He was rough when he got going you see." Claude supposed even though there were many derogatory terms he would label his current master with, being a tart was not one of them, despite his sordid past. The boy was a survivor, not a whore.

"You are not a bad choice for a master, Alois. You're merely a little rough around the edges. You're certainly not a tart." This was at least partly true. Although Alois was not the worst candidate this race had to offer for contract, he was far greater than a 'little rough'. The boy was so uncouth, Claude thought of sandpaper whenever he saw him, no matter the circumstances. Alois sighed in response to this reply and squeezed him again.

"That's nice of you to say. I'm always safe with you, aren't I, Claude?"

"Until the time comes and you have gained your revenge, you will always be safe." This statement was only true for the time being. If Alois did not stop focusing on him and start concentrating his energies on trying to kill Sebastian, Claude would need to expedite the process. For now, this child could count on his protection. Until Ciel was ready to end him. "Is there a particular reason why you're unclothed, Alois?"

"You haven't dressed me yet."

"I haven't undressed you yet either."

"True. I guess I just wanted to see how you'd react. I was partly hoping it would annoy you."

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you." Claude said stroking his master's hair for a longer time. Yes, distractingly soft in texture. The demon considered another incongruity of the situation. "How did you know what time I arise in the morning? I always wake you."

"Sometimes I don't sleep. I have nightmares about Luca and I can't sleep again. Don't get mad, but sometimes I come and sit in your room early in the morning. It helps me feel okay." Claude could not hide his surprise at this revelation. He had never been unaware of another presence in his immediate vicinity, even whilst sleeping, but Alois claimed to have evaded his finely tuned senses on several occasions. Judging from this morning's performance, the demon was inclined to believe him. It was a rare talent for a human to sneak up on a demon. Again, it made the boy interesting.

"I…had no idea my presence gave you that much comfort, Alois."

"After my brother, you're probably my favourite person in the whole world." Alois said coming up onto his elbows so Claude could see his smiling expression. Yes, he was pleasing to look at, very much so. The demon supposed honesty was an honourable trait, perhaps even respectable. When he suddenly felt soft lips press against his cheek for the briefest of moments, he almost felt sorry for his master's misplaced trust in him. Almost. "You're also probably the handsomest person in the world." Alois added running a hand through Claude's hair, "More so than Sebastian anyway. I think it's the gold eyes. Phantomhive's demon has awful red eyes, just like you'd expect from the murdering bastard. But not you. Your eyes are beautiful."

Claude was flattered by the compliment. The favourable comparison to Sebastian was refreshing after so many snide remarks by Alois about the other demon's superiority to him in past days. For a short time after, Claude could almost look past all his master's faults. The calluses on the boy's hands did taint the compliment slightly, but it was bearable. The demon smiled at the boy perched on his chest, prompting Alois to widen his in escalation.

"You're very kind, Alois." Claude said gripping both of his master's slender shoulders and squeezing them, "And very beautiful yourself."

"I think I could listen to you say that all day, Claude, but we should get up and prepare for their second coming. I want Sebastian dead as soon as possible."

"They shan't be here until tomorrow, Highness." Claude said, noticing there had been a sizeable enough shift in the tone of the conversation to warrant a different address. The boy had become ruthless and bloodthirsty again and all his pining was inexplicably forgotten in the aftermath. He hoped Alois would make a good show of his demise and not simply cry. The demon strangely wanted dignity for his master's death, not humiliation. The boy grinned.

"But we don't want them to get away again, do we? That means making sure everything's as it should be. I want you and the others to make sure he dies horribly. Do I have to order you?"

"No, Your Highness. I understand and will begin to make preparations as soon as you're dressed and fed."

"Excellent. Oh Claude! He's finally going to die! That evil bastard is finally going to die for what he's done and you're going to get your soul!" Alois practically crowed before flinging back the covers and leaping out of bed. Claude watched this complete switch of mood in fascination as the boy danced and skipped out of the room without any regard for his modesty. He was literally as common as muck and just as likely to be trodden on when the time came. "Come and dress me in a little while, Claude! I want to watch you prepare everything for tomorrow's fun!" Alois called from the hallway. Claude smiled as he thought of the youth's blood staining the ground and his eyes glazing over in the aftermath of confrontation.

"Yes, Your Highness."


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: I like Alois and Claude, even if they're both part of an anime series that totally lost the plot and has no place in the manga. To that end, like Ciel and Sebastian, I'm going to have them solve a mystery of their own just to see the difference in their approaches. Since my last chapter is set just before Alois dies, we're going to say this happens before he even meets Ciel. Alois finds someone's corpse in the woods on the estate. Despite Claude's insistence they do not interfere with the investigation, Alois is bored and insists harder they pursue it. See how you like it. If it's not well-received, I'll shorten it to four chapters and sack it. Enjoy.**

**Alois and Claude Continued: Trancy Murder Arc**

Alois Trancy had wandered into the woods again. The fourteen-year-old often drifted into the darkest parts of the estate's wilderness to observe the spiders weave their intricate and beautiful webs. Sometimes he sat and watched them craft their silken masterpieces for hours. Then he would destroy them. He never killed their artisans though. He admired their perseverance and refusal to quit. He thought the way they quietly began again, without fuss or melancholy, whenever he imposed his dominion was wonderful. Today, the boy ignored his subjects and continued deeper into the trees, where light had no escape and only the brave dared tread. Long nights spent brooding in the darkness of basements and prison cells had left Alois with excellent night vision and the boy had no trouble negotiating even the most warped of tree roots and thorn-covered foliage in reaching a small clearing he came to sit in and contemplate his future or the lack of it.

It had been almost a week since he had come this far into the woods, but the boy had no expectations of any change in the clearing's appearance. Discovering some sort of mass on the ground, one that smelt strongly of mould and mildew, perked Alois' interest enough to dispense with his normal plans. He crouched down on his haunches and freely examined the mass by feel. Within moments, the boy had identified a nose, empty eye sockets and an open mouth that was the focal point of a large head, largely covered by damp and clumped hair. Alois smiled. It was a human corpse.

"Who were you?" The boy asked his new friend softly, "Where did you come from?" He said gently stroking what he assumed was the corpse's hair. The body was silent and unyielding. Alois nodded in understanding. "I hope you can't speak because your mouth is crammed with maggots." The boy began to drag the corpse by its ears, only to find one fell away and he lacked the strength to move the heavy body it was attached to. Alois sighed whilst tossing the pulpy, swollen ear in his hand into the brush behind him. "Claude, I need you now." The boy said sticking out his tongue and waiting.

"What are your orders, Highness?" A voice inquired from the darkness behind him. Alois glanced over his shoulder and was met with two golden eyes seeming to hover ominously in the air. The boy smiled.

"I order you to carry my new friend to the edge of the woods so I can see them better."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Once they had light to shed on the corpse, Alois was intrigued to see his friend was both grossly bloated, lacking both eyes and his tongue. Fat maggots crawled out of the empty socket and nostrils, but sadly nothing came out of the open mouth, a product of a dislocated lower jaw that appeared attached by nothing but a fraying beard like a Rhododendron bush. Moss covered his clothes, consisting of a dark suit and open-throated shirt that had once been white but was now a dirty yellow. The boy threw back his head and laughed.

"He's absolutely disgusting! Look at the maggots coming out of his eyes! How ugly!" Alois crowed whilst gleefully pointing out the corpse's standout feature to his butler whose face remained impassive.

"Interesting. I wonder where he originated from. He seems…affluent." Claude said before adjusting his spectacles and studying the body's gold pocket chain, discovering the watch itself was missing. Alois peered down in curiosity.

"Do you think maybe he's important?" The boy inquired leaning down to where the demon was crouched and resting his chin on Claude's shoulder. "Do you think there might be a reward?"

"I believe even if there were, it is immaterial, Highness. You already have a fortune that is only rivalled by a select few in this country. We should leave this to the authorities." Claude said before gently sliding the boy's chin off his shoulder and standing up. Alois considered the matter briefly.

"He's on our land, Claude, our property. He did not arrive here by accident. Perhaps he's involved in shady business related to the old loon. Aren't you curious?"

"No." The demon answered without any hesitation. The boy sighed before placing his hands on his hips.

"Well, I am. Plus, I'm dreadfully bored with things at the moment. Contact the authorities, but say we want to help with the investigation."

"What about Ciel Phantomhive?" The demon inquired prompting Alois to roll his eyes. Always Phantomhive. Always business, never play. He found Claude to be dreadfully narrow-minded like a butterfly, beautiful but so dull. He gave his butler a sharp glance.

"Unless he appears in the next ten seconds, I really don't care. I'm sick of waiting for him to show his face. All I do is sit in that stuffy, old house and sign contracts. Sit and sign, sign and sit, all day long until my arse goes numb. I want to have some kind of fun." Alois said, gaining more bitterness and spite as his sentences gathered pace. The demon was unmoved.

"You must be patient, Master. Your time will come soon enough." Claude offered only to sour the boy further. The demon left him with little choice. Alois sighed.

"_Hoheo Taralna, Rondero Tarel_. Understand?" The boy muttered, knowing that saying such words left no room for argument or alternative, just as he wished it. Claude's expression remained perfectly blank in replying.

"Yes, Highness. It will be done."

It was an hour later. The corpse was now under the scrutiny of Scotland Yard's finest coroner whilst detectives armed with oil and gas lamps trawled the woods and clearing for further clues and evidence. Even though Claude seemed indifferent to their presence, Alois was delighted he could tell the demon was annoyed by their intrusion in the Trancy household. It was the way his gold eyes flickered from one officer to the next with alarming regularity, as if trying to determine how quickly he could make them disappear into the ether. The boy thought it very impressive. He was less impressed by the police commissioner's tone once the corpse's identity had been established.

The moustachioed man, who Alois thought looked ridiculous in his stovepipe hat, was apparently a lord, but acted like a thug from the East-End. He accused the boy of being behind the murder despite a complete lack of evidence, basing his entire theory on the fact the corpse had been found on Trancy property.

"Daniel Cantwell was in business with your father, the previous Earl Trancy. He had been reported missing by his wife six days ago after he left to come to the Trancy estate to settle matters of finance. It would appear he was not welcome here and you, to avoid possible scandal, had him killed and hidden in the woods." Lord Randall said viciously as the trio stood on the cusp of the treeline. Alois laughed aloud for almost a minute.

"Are you really in charge of Scotland Yard, or are you simply a mad old loon they felt like humouring? Listen to yourself! I had him killed and hidden in the woods? Why didn't I bury him? Why did I call you about his body in the first place? Why are your men looking for clues if you've already decided I'm guilty? This man's a moron! Claude, have you ever heard such drivel?" The boy asked, looking up at his butler who regarded Lord Randall with the same interest a man would show in observing a blank wall.

"I must admit to expecting more intelligent theories from such an organisation as Scotland Yard. I find your lack of proof, most disappointing, Lord Randall." The demon said in a cool, even tone that so projected apathy that it rendered the older man momentarily speechless. Alois smirked at him.

"I'd probably spit in your face if you were worth the trouble. Your men have another hour to search for clues. Then they can sod off unless you would like to be publicly humiliated. I doubt the Queen would be too happy to discover they had given the job of police commissioner to an Egyptian mummy whose brain had so obviously been yanked out through its nose millennia ago." Lord Randall's face turned crimson with indignation and fury.

"How dare you! I don't need to contend with another Ciel Phantomhive during my work!" He bellowed. Alois could smell his acrid breath. The boy's smirk disappeared instantly. His face darkened. Then he cut loose his tongue.

"Then you shouldn't keep accusing noblemen of murder on such a regular basis, you stupid, ugly git! You've now only got thirty minutes before I get word to the press and sink you lower than a sewer rat in society's pecking order!" Alois screamed before turning on his heel and storming off in the direction of the manor. Randall shouted something back, but the boy chose not to hear it. It made no difference anyway. Less than thirty minutes later, the entire contingent had left the grounds and taken the body with them. Alois sat brooding in his office before a knock and Claude's presence threatened to cheer him up.

"Did they find anything useful?" The boy asked before slumping his head on the desktop.

"No. They all seem quite inept at such work."

"Well?" Alois said it as a question, eyeing the demon accusatively. Claude gave no indication of either understanding or misunderstanding the question. His face was like a ceramic mask.

"Your Highness?"

"Did you kill him, Claude? I don't mind if you did, only you could have told me so I might get in on the fun."

"No, Master, I did not kill this gentleman. I was not even aware he was planning to meet with you six days ago."

"Did you know who he was, what his connection to the old loon was?"

"There is vague mention of his name in some of the files kept here, but nothing to suggest he was significant to Tracy's operations or…vices." Claude said whilst glancing out the window at the grounds. Alois sighed at the demon's complete apathy to what was going on.

"Well he wasn't killed for no reason, Claude. What was the cause of death anyway? With him blown up like a balloon, it was hard to tell."

"Asphyxiation, Highness. He was strangled with something, possibly his own belt since it was not found at the crime scene and he wore no braces. The ligature marks were difficult to place." Claude responded turning his gaze back on the youth as he began to speak. Alois slouched back in his chair and brought a single finger to his chin.

"What do you suppose happened to his eyes? It couldn't have been the birds: they've got no way into the clearing from the sky."

"They look to have been gouged out, Sir, likely in the same struggle that dislocated his jaw."

"Are you sure you didn't kill him, Claude? Gouging someone's eyes out seems like something you'd do. You're wonderfully violent you know." Alois said with an admiring grin. Claude adjusted his spectacles.

"No, Highness. I did not kill this man. What are your orders?"

"His old lady's probably a good place to start digging. Let's go pay her a visit."

"Do you intend to do the Yard's work for them?" The demon inquired with a whisper of irritation that delighted Alois to no end. The blond boy smirked.

"Do you want them to come back and trample more of the grounds, Claude? You want them to rip up the rose garden and wade through the lake and get their muddy boot prints over the whole house searching for evidence on that old moron Randall's say-so?" Claude's eyes flickered briefly. He closed his eyes, removed his spectacles and produced a cloth to clean the lenses.

"No, Highness. I would prefer they never darkened our door again."

"It's alright to be annoyed with them, Claude. The house and garden are beautiful and you should be proud of them. They are your aesthetic after all." Alois offered genially. Claude's eyelids lifted. His gold eyes regarded the boy with another flicker of emotion lurking beneath the flawless veneer.

"Thank you, Master. I suppose our investigating this matter would see it concluded swiftly and without fuss." The demon said replacing his spectacles and slipping the cloth back into his morning suit. "I cannot envision Lord Randall solving this crime without divine intervention."

"Then it's settled!" Alois said clapping his hands together and giggling as he got to his feet. Tell those other morons that we're leaving for London and shan't be back until tomorrow!" The youth declared throwing on his jacket. Claude did not move or speak to acknowledge this command. The demon stared at him, not blinking. Alois frowned at this behaviour but said nothing. He was curious what would happen next.

"I will not wait forever. Once this matter is concluded, I expect you to take your revenge against Ciel Phantomhive so I may take your soul." Claude said without any sense of urgency or anger. Alois knew he would have liked to show them both in his voice. But the demon was cool, unflappable in nature and thought and deed. He supposed Claude was past hungry now and was already starving. Good, Alois thought, I hope he's suffering inside. The boy narrowed his eyes and added bite to his voice in issuing a short and sharp response.

"Don't get prickly with me. You'll get what you want. Now go pack me a bag, tell that tart and three retards the good news and get the carriage ready before I lose my temper. Understand?"

"Yes, Your Highness."


	4. Chapter 4

**Alois and Claude Continued: Trancy Murder Arc Part 2**

Alois doubled over and spat the last of the blood from his mouth on Cantwell's widow as she lay beaten on the floor. He glared at her unconscious form before dropping the fire poker beside her. He grimaced as the burning in his ribs continued but managed to straighten up again, making a vain attempt to wipe the blood off his shirt. It had stained, badly. The boy turned to Claude who stood impassively in the doorway. The demon's gold eyes gave no disapproval to his actions, nor any praise. They simply observed. Alois held his ribs with one arm whilst gesturing to the prone woman on the ground.

"You saw, didn't you?" The boy said. Claude inclined his head. "She attacked me before I'd even said 'hello'. And with a sodding fire poker as well? Like I'm a six-year-old slum rat in need of a thrashing?" Alois added before booting her hard in the ribs. He gritted his teeth as the burning intensified and then subsided. "Why didn't you do something? She hit me half-a-dozen times before I got her back! Where were you?" The boy demanded narrowing his eyes. His butler adjusted his spectacles.

"A Trancy butler does not act without orders. You gave none so I assumed you had control of the situation." Claude stated. His master shook his head in disbelief.

"You just want me to give up and go home, don't you? Want me to just go back to the mansion and focus on Sebastian Michaelis and Phantomhive, don't you, Claude?"

"It would be a more productive use of your time, Highness. However, I am at your command. If you wish to investigate Mr Cantwell's death I will assist you in any way I can, although I imagine his widow is of little use now." The demon replied without lowering his eyes to inspect the woman. Alois rolled his eyes before pouting.

"All I wanted to do was ask her some questions like a proper detective. She ruined it. We could have leads or clues by now if that stupid bitch hadn't tried to bat my head off." The blond boy explained with a slight growl underpinning his words. He wanted to kick her again. He wanted to put his foot through her stomach. Instead he glanced around the house in thought. "They don't have any children do they?" Alois asked, wary of more witnesses.

"Not according to what little information I could find. When Scotland Yard hear of this assault, I would not be surprised if the finger of suspicion is once again thrust upon you, Sir." Claude said. The boy scoffed.

"Bollocks. It was self-defence. She would've brained me if I'd let her carry on. She'll live, right?"

Claude walked forward and gave the widow a cursory glance. "She will. She will not live well though."

"That's her own fault. Now, start looking around this dump for clues about the meeting Cantwell thought he was having or secrets he was hiding from his ugly wife or anything else that might give us something to go on." Alois muttered picking up a clay vase from the nearby table before casually dropping it on the floor. Claude's gloved hand was suddenly on his shoulder. The boy turned in surprise at the action.

"We may already have something if we consider her reaction to your presence, Highness. She appeared to be acting as though you were her husband's killer."

"But I'm not, Claude! This is utter nonsense!"

"Consider though, Highness: she recognised you before you could even say a word. She attacked you immediately. How could she act in so assured a manner if she had not seen you before and was not confident of your identity as her husband's murderer?" Alois opened his mouth to protest his innocence further before grasping what his butler was suggesting. He frowned.

"You're saying someone impersonated me and killed him?"

"I think it a strong possibility, Sir."

The boy turned away from Claude and attempted to draft up a list of potential suspects in the privacy of his own mind. There were many candidates he could name as despising him more than enough to go to such lengths, but only one who would gain anything beyond smug satisfaction. He narrowed his eyes. "Look for any evidence linking Cantwell to my Uncle Arnold." Claude bowed at the waist.

"Yes, Your Highness."

They had only been looking for evidence for a matter of minutes before hearing a rush of footsteps outside the house. By the noise alone, an ominous sound that rumbled like closing thunder, there were a lot of feet, perhaps two dozen pairs or more. Claude abandoned his search of the master bedroom to glance out the lattice window. Alois, currently studying the interior of some Chester drawers, ignored the sound altogether.

"It would appear Scotland Yard are preparing to enter the property." The demon commented. The youth rolled his eyes.

"Is that idiot in a top hat with them?"

"Lord Randall is leading the charge, yes. He has almost twenty-five men with him."

"How do you suppose they know about our presence here? As soon as the witch attacked me, we were inside and the door was closed." Alois sighed, picking up a silver pendant from a small box inside the third drawer. It looked like a dragon.

"Perhaps they were tipped off. In any case, I would think it best we left before they reach us." Claude responded turning from the window. His master nodded whilst pocketing the pendant and a cluster of papers from the bottom drawer.

"I hope whoever is behind this is having fun, Claude. Because as soon as I find them, I'll be the only one having fun whilst gouging out their eyes with my thumbs. Let's go home." In a blur of motion, the demon butler had moved from the window, scooped up Alois in his arms and leapt out the window on the far side of the house. They exited onto a nearby rooftop where Claude remained in a crouched position, hidden behind the chimney stack, for almost five minutes. Once all the police officers were too close to the Cantwell home to see anything else, the demon tore off across the rooftops.

"You know what's funny, Claude?" Alois asked as he reclined in the bathtub later that evening. His butler dressed behind him and readied to wash out the soap from his hair.

"No, Highness. Please do tell."

"If it is Uncle Arnold trying to usurp me as head of the Trancy household, he's not being subtle about it. All the papers I stuffed in my pocket earlier are letters from him to Cantwell. Do you think…maybe he's being set-up as well? Maybe whoever's behind this wants me to think it's Uncle Arnold. Maybe they want me to kill him so I rot in prison." Alois said as his head was tilted back and clean water poured over his scalp.

"I believe your uncle despises you, but not enough to take another man's life just to make you suffer." Claude said running his fingers through the boy's hair to check for residue. "It is more likely you are being herded into thinking it is him by an unknown party."

"Like a sheep. Whoever is behind this thinks I'm stupid as well as violent." Alois remarked with an ironic smile. "They always think I'm stupid. The old man thought I was illiterate and I'm pretty sure Uncle Arnold was under the impression I didn't know Reykjavik was the capital of Iceland. Well I bloody do know it's the capital of Iceland because I read it in a sodding book. And I do know when I'm being fleeced. But if it's not Uncle Arnold, then who is it?" Alois said as the absence of Claude's fingers signalled his hair was now clean.

"What is the content of the Arnold Trancy's letters to Cantwell?"

"Boring. Really, really boring. He just prattles on and on about needing more money, having more money solving his problems and a little bit about legally trying to ruin my life. It looks like Cantwell was a barrister of some kind. Judging from how shit his house was he can't have been all too successful." The boy remarked lounging back and gazing up at the ceiling.

"I would say otherwise, Highness. The vase you broke was an antique piece from the Qin Dynasty of China. It is easily worth a quarter of this house's value if given to the right buyer. The dragon-shaped pendant you found is also a valuable piece." Claude said from the side of the bathtub. Alois frowned at this revelation and fished the pendant out from the bottom of the tub. He had been using it to scratch a persistent itch on his right buttock for the last hour, expecting such use to be the apex of its existence, but now looked at in a new light.

"But it looks so gaudy. You can't tell me it's Chinese as well." The teenager commented dangling it from its chain. The dragon depicted in profile appeared to be returning his stare.

"No, Sir, it is much rarer. It is a summoning tool for ancient demons." Claude explained to make his master abruptly sit up in surprise. Alois regarded the demon with bright eyes.

"Does it work?"

"Yes. It is from the same era in human history as the vase, roughly 200 BC. It is likely of Roman origin, judging by its design and craftsmanship." The butler said adjusting his spectacles whilst reaching for one of the folded bath towels.

"How do you summon with it? Is there an incantation or ritual sacrifice that needs performing?" Alois inquired, suddenly finding the pendant to be the most interesting thing besides Claude he had ever seen in his life.

"There is a ritual, Highness, but no need for a sacrifice. It requires a new moon and a stone circle to be performed correctly. However, were we to enact such a ritual, nothing would happen. The demon has already been summoned for servitude."

"How can you tell?"

"The eye of the dragon is open. Were there a dormant demon to summon, the eye would be closed." Claude explained now holding a bath towel open for receipt of his master's wet form. Alois regarded the open eye of the dragon closely for another few moments before tossing the pendant to the floor.

"Whatever it is, I'm sure you can crush it should it decide to attack, Claude." The boy said gingerly rising to his feet as his aching ribs made themselves known. He dressed out of the bathtub and was immediately enveloped in the bath towel and brought almost flush against the demon's chest as a consequence. He breathed deeply, savouring the smell of the demon's flesh. It was the smell of musk and lavender and birch. There was no hint of smoke or alcohol in it, no trace of sweat or coppery aroma of blood. It was neat and it was clean. Alois could easily call Claude's natural odour his favourite fragrance in the whole world, above anything a perfumery could concoct or ever hope to. "Could a demon have killed Cantwell?" Alois asked resting his cheek against his butler's chest.

"If an order is misinterpreted by a demon serving a master, it can easily lead to death, even that of the master themselves. Mr Cantwell would have to have been extremely unfortunate to die in such a fashion." Claude said whilst drying the boy's hair with a smaller towel despite their close proximity. Alois smirked.

"Is that what you're waiting for, Claude? One slip of my tongue to gift you a quick meal and easy excuse to find a new master?"

"No, Highness. I will have your soul soon enough."

"And I suppose your earlier threat was just a joke, was it?" Alois said craning his head up to see the demon's reaction. Gold eyes returned his gaze, but the circular motion of the towel on his head did not gain or lose any momentum. The expression was blank as a response was coolly issued.

"I apologise for my remark, Master. It was uncalled for."

"I don't care, Claude. I actually quite like seeing you get angry. It lets me know you care." The towel stopped moving, but only because the demon was finished with the task.

"How do you wish to proceed with your investigation now, Highness?" Claude said now beginning to dry Alois' shoulders.

"I want to know where Cantwell got his pendant. It must be from some black market in London. You can't buy evil pendants in jewellery shops."

"I believe I know of someone who deals with such occult practices. He runs a funeral parlour in Whitechapel. His true name is a mystery, but he is commonly known in the criminal underworld as the Undertaker."

"Wouldn't that mean he's part of Phantomhive's lot?" The boy asked as the demon crouched to towel his midriff. He recalled Claude informing him that all of London's criminal networks were in Ciel Phantomhive's employ whilst picking his nose.

"He is a known informant for Earl Phantomhive, but works independently. He would be willing to gift us information…for a price."

"And this price isn't money?"

"No, Highness."

Alois rolled his eyes as Claude graduated pass his buttocks and reached the backs of his knees before finishing with his calves. What was the point of his wealth if not to pay for information? So far, all his money had done was allow him to build a fort out of banknotes. "Well then, let's go see him." The teenager announced tiredly as the butler reared back up to his full height. The gold eyes flickered briefly.

"Now, Highness?"

"Tomorrow. After breakfast. Before whoever's out there tightens the net further."

"Yes, Your Highness."


	5. Chapter 5

**Alois and Claude Continued: Trancy Murder Arc Part 3**

"It's absolutely filthy!" Alois crowed as the pair stood outside a dilapidated funeral parlour, "I love how rotten it looks! What do you think Claude? Uglier than that cow Uncle Arnold calls his wife, right?"

"There is most definitely a sense of despair surrounding the establishment, Highness. Are you quite sure you wish to pursue this particular avenue of inquiry?" The demon asked, displaying little interest in any part of the investigation that encouraged his master. Alois was unbowed.

"I want to know who killed Cantwell and framed me. You said occult and you said here. So we're here. Hoheo Taralna, Rondero Tarel right?" The boy said invoking his dominion over the butler in the most casual of manners. Claude seemed to take it in the same spirit.

"Of course, Highness. Allow me…"

Opening the door led them into what appeared to be a coffin workshop. Cheap pine boxes were stacked ten high in some places, less than four in others, but every corner of the room shared the same lack of light. Alois wrinkled his nose.

"Smells like shit in here."

"It is somewhat pungent here. I do hope the proprietor keeps better care of himself than his workspace."

"No such luck, I'm afraid." A voice said from behind the counter to their front. Alois immediately bounded over to the countertop and peered over the edge. A gray, long-haired man with a scarred face and bent black top hat sat crouched in the dirt. He appeared to be sucking on a bone. The boy was astonished by his level of squalor.

"You're more disgusting than the corpse I found in the woods! Are you the undertaker?"

"I'm a sort of undertaker I suppose." The man said rising up from behind the counter to an impressive height. He turned his head from Alois to Claude and then back again twice in quick succession. "You're not the usual master and servant combination I get in here. Who might you be?"

"I'm Alois Trancy and that's my Claude. We're here about a murder." Alois said hopping up on the countertop. His ribs stung him for it, but excitement helped blunt the pain. Their host offered a manic grin in reply.

"And what's this murder to you, boy?"

"I'm being framed for it. Got anything worth telling?" The boy said leaning back in an effort to peer under the strange undertaker's hat. He was rewarded when the man stooped down to meet him, showcasing unusually bright eyes.

"Depends on who was murdered and what with, doesn't it?"

"Some nobody called Daniel Cantwell. Someone slit his throat after gouging out his eyes and then left him to rot on my estate. We found this at his house." Alois said holding out the dragon pendant for scrutiny. The undertaker's strangely coloured eyes widened to keep pace with his grin.

"A summoning charm? Ooh, very pretty thing it is too. Roman memento is it?"

"What do you know about the demons they summon?" The boy said, yanking the pendant away when fingers were threatening to close around it. He jumped down from the countertop to hear the answer. His body did not like that either, enough to make him grit his teeth in discomfort.

"I'm afraid that information will cost you."

"How much? I'm one of the richest people in England so…"

"Oh, I don't take monetary payment for my knowledge, little one. If you want my lips to part, the toll is to make me laugh."

"That's so stupid! You must be a complete idiot when it comes to finance!"

"Maybe I am, but my toll isn't going to change anytime soon. If you don't know any dirty jokes…"

"Dirty jokes? Is that all you want me to tell you?" Alois said flashing their host a devilish grin. "Let's start with A…"

The blonde had only just finished his list of arse jokes when the undertaker, paralysed on the floor in uncontrollable laughter, thrust up a hand to tell him to stop. Alois was bitterly disappointed at not getting the chance to air his archbishop collection, but supposed he really ought to solve this murder before it became dangerous. The boy glanced over his shoulder at Claude, who had stood motionless by the door throughout his master's recital. There had not even been a flicker of emotion. Maybe the demon had heard them all before. He turned back to their host, now peeling himself off the floor.

"An hour of arse jokes?" The undertaker managed to say breathlessly, "Not even I could manage that. Normally I'd have to go swimming in the sewers to discover as much filth as you just told me." The man wiped away a final tear and nodded. "A deal is a deal, my young friend…"

Only a few moments of exposition from their host told Alois that they had come to the right place for information. The demons in question granted wishes to their summoners. However, they only granted one and it always came at the price of another's life. Once the wish had been granted, the demon returned to the pendant and could not be summoned again by the same person. Since the pendant's eye was open, the demon had been summoned, but had yet to grant its keeper's wish. Alois did not understand this at all.

"So, this idiot is sitting on any wish in the world and hasn't taken it?" Alois said in a mixture of loathing and contempt for what he considered a missed opportunity.

"Perhaps the man it is waiting to grant a wish to is Daniel Cantwell, Highness." Claude suggested from close to his ear. Alois turned to find the demon crouched at his side, examining something he had retrieved from the floor. It appeared to be a finger bone.

"Well if that's the case, where the hell is it? Surely it's not invisible." Alois said before rolling his eyes and offering the Undertaker a sour look, "Is it invisible, Undertaker?" The decrepit shopkeeper grinned and nodded.

"Oh yes. It could've been in the room with you when you took the pendant and you'd have been none the wiser. It is only visible to its master."

"What if its master is dead? Isn't there some sort of clause or something to let it go back into the pendant for another master to summon it?" Alois said having accepted that Claude's theory will likely be the correct one. Undertaker seemed to take pleasure in nodding his head again.

"Human sacrifice."

"Oh sod off!" The blond almost yelled. "How can you sacrifice to something you can't see?"

"You have the pendant, young Sir. A few drops of a sacrifice's fresh post-mortem blood directly on the eye will draw the demon back to the pendant without trouble." Undertaker said, narrating his own pantomime actions of doing the deed. The boy sighed.

"So, I'm being framed for murder and perhaps the only way to clear my name is to murder someone else instead?"

"No-one said doing this would exonerate you, Earl Trancy. I merely thought you wished to know about the pendant. And you could always use your wish to make this nasty business with Scotland Yard disappear…or Lord Randall if you dislike him as much as some of my other regulars. You might even use your wish to conquer the world and have it kiss your feet as you walked." Undertaker said. Alois scoffed at the idea.

"I don't need a wish to help me conquer the world. All I need is Claude. If I ask, he'll bring the world to its knees for me before breakfast." The youth said looking over his shoulder at the demon who was still passively scrutinising the bone, turning it delicately towards the light. Alois fancied Claude would make a fine marble statue, such was the elegance of his movements.

"But asking him to find the perpetrator of this crime is beyond his powers?" Undertaker asked. The boy did not like the underlying hint of sarcasm in their host's voice. Nothing was beyond Claude. Nothing. Alois knew that much to be true in this world.

"We've gotten this far, haven't we? A corpse, a pendant and a demon. Yesterday morning we only had a corpse. By tomorrow night, we'll probably have the murderer." Alois snapped back whilst resisting the urge to bare his teeth. That life was behind him. Undertaker shrugged dismissively.

"Perhaps. If you knew if Mr Cantwell was victim or sacrifice, you might. Of course, before all that you'd need to know up from down. Tell me, where has my counsel led you precisely? You ask all the wrong questions, in the wrong order and with the wrong tone. I have told you almost nothing of use, yet you're content to traipse off with your demon in tow for a treasure hunt around London while Scotland Yard breathes down your neck and shadows you in the dark? Believe me when I say, you are no detective. You're not even close to the calibre of my usual clientele…and they're all dead." That stung him. Alois could feel it driving deep into his chest. He was silent for a moment, contemplating whether adventure was worth the security of his gilded cage. He turned to Claude who was now stood examining the bone.

"Is he right, Claude?" Alois asked his butler, "Am I just a stupid boy running after my own tail?" Claude did not even look at him to reply.

"No, your Highness: you were right to come here and to investigate as we are doing." The demon said without any hint of emotion. He offered the bone for his master to take. Alois frowned in taking the yellowed and fragile-looking item. He did not understand its relevance to their inquiries.

"Is it a clue, Claude? A good one, I mean." It did not have anything remarkable to divulge. As far as the boy could tell, it was just someone's finger.

"Yes Master. This bone belongs to Mr Cantwell."

"How can it? The rest of him was on the estate: why just leave a finger bone?"

"It is a test, Highness. To see if we were sincere in our intentions to pursue this investigation. I noted the bone from Mr Cantwell's right middle finger was absent during my brief examination of his corpse. This bone corresponds perfectly with that which is missing. Ergo…"

"You had his body." Alois said in irritation more than disgust as he looked back at the Undertaker. "You had Cantwell's body in this shop. Did you move it to my estate as well?" Their host's eyes shone in the dark.

"Hmm. You two aren't as blunt as butter knives then. You do have some intelligence between you. Yes, Mr Cantwell was here shortly after his passing. Yes, I shifted him onto your estate. And yes, Mr Butler, this was a little test. I didn't kill the gentleman though. Far too messy a job for me. No, but I have an idea who did…"


End file.
